A variety of devices have been developed for providing luminous displays of pleasing patterns of light with stroboscopic effects, etc. U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,163 describes a luminous display device having a fluorescent light source electrically coupled to provide stroboscopic effects so that the fluorescent light is a pulsating source. The device includes in sequence along a common axis a rotating color disk having angular openings covered by transparents sheets of different colors, a rotating mask or opaque masking disk with different shaped openings distributed through it, and a window for viewing the patterns of light produced. While a clutch mechanism is provided and permits relative difference in angular velocity between the disk elements, a limitation and constraint to rotational motion about the same axis precludes other degress of freedom of motion and motion of the elements relative to each other off axis. This limitation and constraint therefore precludes other possibilities and variations in color, symmetries and geometries of the light pattern images. Furthermore, this patent discloses only a particular light source of limited variability and application.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,755 describes an illuminated display apparatus having a light source in the form of an incandescent lamp followed by a rotating color wheel, in turn followed by a rotating three dimensional diffracting element for disbursing the multicolor light. The use of such an irregular three dimensional diffracting element precludes the generation of controlled symmetries and geometries in the light pattern image. Nor does this invention permit controlled variation in the degrees of freedom of motion of the elements of the device relative to each other.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,882 and 3,242,330 describe additional apparatus for light projection systems and decorative lighting effects but without the capability of generating an endless variety of controlled symmetries and geometries in multicolor light pattern images.